Reasons for feeling sluggish on runs?

gracieabem

I have felt sluggish on my runs lately and my pace and heart rate confirm this. My average pace was around 5.17 - 5.25/km for anything around 9km or below. The last two weeks I have been hovering at 5.30 - 6.00 consistently, even when I feel really motivated, bright and ready to go. There have been a couple of days where I have just been honestly tired and I have had a few late nights finishing uni assignments, but the night that I really overdid it I didn't run the next day. I have actually run a couple of runs less than usual in the last two week because of study.

I've tried a few things to make me feel a bit better - changing the time of day I run, shorten my distances etc, but I feel like I'm stuck in a rut. Is this normal? Do I just ride it out?

Currently I am running -

1 x 5km
2 x 7 - 8km
1 x long run (11km at the moment)

CarsonRuns

Is it hotter than usual? Heat plays a big part in your ability to maintain your normal pace. Fatigue and not ingesting enough carbs could cause this too.

ixap

What has your training been like to date? Are you new to running, been running for years, etc.? If you started recently, where did you start, and how much have you added each week? Are you mostly running at once pace, or doing intervals? What is your pace like in terms of effort?

brookepenni

In my experience - sometimes these days/weeks just come and go. Ive upped my carbs which has helped considerably, but most of the time, you just have to ride it out and wait for the good times to return.

Keep running through them though, its rewarding to know you fought the challenge and won!!

gracieabem

Thanks guys.

Although it's ever so slightly warmer, I wouldn't say I feel hotter running at the moment and I've also ran some mornings recently where the temperature had dipped back down again with the same effect.

I started with c25k last November and graduated and went on to Bridge to 10k and decided I wasn't enjoying it as much, so I just started to go out 3 times a week and doing between 4 and 6km. I didn't have a great knowledge of my speed/pace until I got my Garmin at the end of June and started training for my 8km race just gone (5th August). My speed had improved while I was doing some intervals on the treadmill at the gym to my current pace (pre-sluggishness). I was really happy with my progress and I was doing steady running at that pace and feeling like I could have put in more effort. I feel like I peaked about a week before my 8km run.

My 8km run was fine and the week after seemed ok, I thought maybe I was just suffering from post race blues lol. And then this week and last were just terrible. Despite me really feeling the urge to run and really motivated to pick back up again. Perhaps I added the extra days too soon? That was back in July. But I really hate the gym and love running, so that was my attack plan. I'm wondering if any of this info is insightful. Or perhaps, like you say Brooke, it's just something I have to ride out!

Edit to add - It's funny because I just upped my calories to more a maintenance figure just to get me over a busy period at uni and just for something different. I haven't got much to lose and I may not even bother with the last 3kg... I'm at the stage where I just want to be fit and healthy and I'm honestly happy with my weight.

I actually feel like I have more energy now that I've upped my calories. My macros are 40% carb, 30% fat, 30% protein. My diary is open as well.

Edit - I guess I added around 500m each week for a few week to get me up to 8km, but I can't say I was very diligent about organising it or following a set plan. I tried for two short runs and one long per week, but sometimes I'd keep running when it felt good.

gracieabem

Bump - just in case there are any more ideas?

scottb81

Lack of sleep will do it also. Are you getting less than 7 hrs many days in a row?

scottb81

Also, looking at your post you may have been running too many runs too fast. Are you trying to beat your time every run?

Save the fast stuff for a once a week tempo run and maybe a track workout. The rest of the time the runs should be easy. You need the easy runs to recover from the harder efforts and to support the faster work.

Enter your race time here http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/calculator to get suggested training paces. I'll bet the easy run pace is slower than you would expect.

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If what I said above is accurate then to fix your problem just run easy until you feel good again. It probably won't take more than a week or two.

Bamacraft

Mental barrier due to "thinking" your pace is off, sleep, carbs, boredom with same route, pace different due to more challenging route, needing some rest...lots of things. One other thought from experience...could be low potassium. My ENT put me on a water pill for inner ear problems. I drank tons of water and thought I was supplementing w/plenty of potassium in my diet. I went out for a run one day and could tell it needed to be cut short so I stopped after ~2 miles. Took a day off then ran again, I made it about a half mile and realized I was just out of gas! Once I got off the water pill, within a few days I was running like my old self. Never realized with low potassium you still feel good all day but as soon as you begin exercising you are spent in no time.

gracieabem

Lack of sleep will do it also. Are you getting less than 7 hrs many days in a row?

Yes - sometimes only 5 - 6. Usually a three day cycle and then I let myself sleep until I wake. I know it's not ideal and I need to take a long, hard look at my schedule.

gracieabem

Also, looking at your post you may have been running too many runs too fast. Are you trying to beat your time every run?

Save the fast stuff for a once a week tempo run and maybe a track workout. The rest of the time the runs should be easy. You need the easy runs to recover from the harder efforts and to support the faster work.

Enter your race time here http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/calculator to get suggested training paces. I'll bet the easy run pace is slower than you would expect.

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If what I said above is accurate then to fix your problem just run easy until you feel good again. It probably won't take more than a week or two.

Ok, thank you so, so much for this info. I'm actually a little horrified with how fast I'm actually running, each and every work out. Yes, I'm staying at a steady pace... so I guess it's like a tempo run every session. I'm slightly slower for my long run because I simply cannot keep that pace and increase my distance. But it is still not anywhere near as slow as the calculator recommends.

I am actually shocked. And I feel really silly.

I have to sit down and rethink my approach to this. I've just been doing the same thing and on my 5km runs sometimes I push it even harder.

Based on a 4 -5 run/week schedule I should be looking at doing maybe the following?

- 1 tempo 8km
- 1 long run (working on distance - very slow pace)
- 2 maybe 5 km workouts - one speed, one easy? Truth be told, I'm not 100% sure I follow the speed workout properly, but I've only glanced at it... I need to sit down and get my head around all this.

redhousecat

I don't have a different idea, but in addition to the temps being higher, high humidity makes me sluggish. Even if the temps are cooler, any humidity above 70% and I struggle. I struggle with keeping my breathing in tempo and that results in a crappy run.

Part of it could be a psych thing too (for me). I agree with what folks have said here.

Bamacraft

that routine would work, I'd also suggest hill repeats, sprints, or 1/4 - 1/2 mile repeats (pick one per week) with it too.

gracieabem

Thank Bamacraft, I'll keep the potassium thing in mind although I eat so many fruit and veggies! But like you say, you thought you were getting sufficient intake as well. Thank you for all the suggestions.

scottb81

.Based on a 4 -5 run/week schedule I should be looking at doing maybe the following?

- 1 tempo 8km
- 1 long run (working on distance - very slow pace)
- 2 maybe 5 km workouts - one speed, one easy? Truth be told, I'm not 100% sure I follow the speed workout properly, but I've only glanced at it... I need to sit down and get my head around all this.

That looks like a good schedule.  The easy and long runs will support your other workouts by continually building aerobic capacity while leaving you with enough energy reserved to do the faster stuff properly.  Also, they are easy enough that in time you can add more runs if desired.

The Tempo run should be 20 or more minutes at the prescribed pace.  Time running and not distance is important.  Pace is also important as you must maintain the intensity/pace for the 20 minutes to get the desired training effect.

Also, the McMillan site has a multiple page article called the Six Step Training System that is recommended reading.  This free e-book by Arthur Lydiard is also very good and explains the physiology behind the training effects you are trying to achieve. http://www.lydiardfoundation.org/pdfs/al_training_eng.pdf
It's a pretty short book and explains everything very clearly in layman's language.

CarsonRuns

.Based on a 4 -5 run/week schedule I should be looking at doing maybe the following?

- 1 tempo 8km
- 1 long run (working on distance - very slow pace)
- 2 maybe 5 km workouts - one speed, one easy? Truth be told, I'm not 100% sure I follow the speed workout properly, but I've only glanced at it... I need to sit down and get my head around all this.

That looks like a good schedule.  The easy and long runs will support your other workouts by continually building aerobic capacity while leaving you with enough energy reserved to do the faster stuff properly.  Also, they are easy enough that in time you can add more runs if desired.

The Tempo run should be 20 or more minutes at the prescribed pace.  Time running and not distance is important.  Pace is also important as you must maintain the intensity/pace for the 20 minutes to get the desired training effect.

Also, the McMillan site has a multiple page article called the Six Step Training System that is recommended reading.  This free e-book by Arthur Lydiard is also very good and explains the physiology behind the training effects you are trying to achieve. http://www.lydiardfoundation.org/pdfs/al_training_eng.pdf
It's a pretty short book and explains everything very clearly in layman's language.

Spot on.

Yes, slow down. I would also only do 2 quality workouts a week if you are only going to run 4 times. A long run is a quality workout and should be done every week. I would suggest you do the tempo run as the other quality workout and not worry about any other speed work at this point. Then, as your fitness increases, add another easy day. Once you get to that point in a few months, where you are consistently running 5 days a week, you'll know if you love it enough to take it to the next level. We can help you get there when that time arrives. Keep running!

gracieabem

Wow, so much to digest in those links! I have spent an hour just reading through, but it'll take a lot longer to understand it properly and form a plan. Thank you so much for this info, it's just what I needed to know.

In the meantime, I think my plan will look like this. I have no race goal at the present moment (next one will be 5km next July, 15km next August... I don't have many opportunities to race. The year after I'd like to do a HM). I'd like to build my long run to 15km though.

1 x long run (slow) - at the moment 10km
1 x easy 5km
1 x easy 8km
1 x tempo run (20 minutes) - was hoping to do my tempo run at a running club that I was just about to join... perhaps I could get away with running 5km that evening?

I'll leave the speed for the time being.

I really love running, despite all my whinging here today! I will be continuing for sure. I enjoy it far too much to give it away now.